Many dispenser systems are known in the prior art for dispensing paper toweling from rolls thereof. In some cases the paper toweling is comprised of individual paper towel segments separated by perforated tear lines, and in others the toweling has no perforated tear lines formed therein, the user severing or cutting individual sheets from the toweling by some suitable means incorporated in the dispenser.
The dispenser system disclosed and claimed herein is of the latter type.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,879, issued Apr. 29, 2003, discloses apparatus for dispensing paper toweling including a rotatable toweling support roller and a cutter blade pivotally mounted on the outer peripheral portion of the roller. The blade is movable between a first position in which the cutting edge of the blade is positioned closely adjacent to the outer peripheral portion and a second position in which the blade is disposed at an angle relative to the outer peripheral portion with the cutting edge of the blade spaced from the toweling support roller. The cutter blade when in the second position projects in a direction generally opposed to the direction of rotation of the toweling support roller so that pulling force exerted on the toweling by a user will bear against the cutting edge of the cutter blade to sever the toweling.
The arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,879 also incorporates a member which is rotatably mounted on the housing of the apparatus extending between the side walls thereof. The member does not rotate until a roll of toweling expires. At that time the member rotates to position the lead end of a reserve roll of toweling on the toweling support roller. Springs continuously bias the member 74 toward the toweling support roller and the member 74 performs the auxiliary functions of maintaining the toweling between the member and the discharge end of the dispenser under some degree of tension when the paper toweling is pulled during dispensing and maintaining the toweling positioned on the toweling support roller.
The arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,850 has met with considerable commercial success; however, some problems with “tabbing” have occurred during use of the dispenser. Tabbing occurs when a piece of towel tears off the sheet when a user grasps and pulls the paper. Tabbing may occur with one or two hand pulls. Papers that absorb water at the greatest rate are most likely to tab. The rate of water absorbency varies by paper manufacturer and grade. Premium grade papers tend to absorb water the quickest and are generally harder to cut which leads to a higher rate of tabbing.
It has been found that tabbing occurs when overspin slack is taken up and/or when the blade tries to cut the paper. A “shock” is present at the moment the overspin slack is exhausted. The shock occurs because the stationary roll towel must begin rotating at the moment that the overspin slack is exhausted. The shock is greatest with full rolls and diminishes as the roll is exhausted.
The present invention is directed to structure which addresses and greatly reduces the tabbing problem. The structure disclosed and claimed herein is not taught or suggested by U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,879 or the following known patents which employ cutter blades associated with a paper towel support roller to cut paper toweling supported thereby: U.S. Pat. No. 1,543,299, issued June, 1925, U.S. Pat. No. 2,051,242, issued August, 1936, U.S. Pat. No. 2,560,061, issued July, 1951, U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,328, issued April, 1971, U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,965, issued June, 1973, U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,691, issued July, 1975, U.S. Pat. No. RE28,911, issued July, 1976, U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,120, issued December, 1976, U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,738, issued October, 1978, U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,633, issued February, 1980, U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,844, issued February, 1980, U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,363, issued July, 1980, U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,797, issued July, 1981, U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,639, issued December, 1981, U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,880, issued September 1983, U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,261, issued February, 1984, U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,392, issued April, 1984, U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,755, issued November, 1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,837, issued January, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,461, issued December, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,824, issued February, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,361, issued July, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,035, issued July, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,291, issued May, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,386, issued September, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,033, issued January, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,357, issued April, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,147, issued August, 1992 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,830, issued September, 1992.